"Lucius's End"

"Lucius's End"

"Stupid woman… Do you really think you can get rid of me so easily with just a divorce? You're insane if you think you can take my money… and my son with you," said Lucius Malfoy angrily as he stared at the paper on his desk.

On it, the words were clearly written in bold: Divorce Contract.

"Don't you understand I was only waiting for my Lord to return so I could take revenge? After that, I could've taken you back! It's so simple, yet you don't get it!" he kept ranting, full of frustration. "Even if your Black family is ancient, there's no one left to defend or help you. Your crazy sister is in prison, and the other one" that filthy Mudblood lover" was disowned. All that's left is that stupid convicted cousin of yours..."

Lucius clenched the contract tightly, crumpling it between his hands.

"No matter. I'm a Malfoy. I can easily get another wife from the Twenty-Eight Sacred Families. But you… you've just sealed your fate."

"Trouble in paradise?" a mocking voice said behind him.

Lucius spun around instantly, wand in hand.

"Well, well… a new arm. Looks uncomfortable," Einar remarked mockingly as he saw Lucius's prosthetic arm" made of precious metals and carved with runes. Clearly, an alchemical limb bought for a fortune.

"Y-you… how?" Lucius stammered, frozen in fear upon seeing Einar once more inside his mansion. He quickly lowered his wand, terrified Einar might slice it off like last time. He tried to appear calm. "I… I bought another arm. Why are you here? I thought we had settled everything."

"We had… until you stupidly gathered a bunch of idiots to hire assassins and try to kill me," Einar responded coldly. "The funniest part is… those same people quickly turned on you, leaving the three main idiots alone. Oh, and before you ask"your two other friends already had a talk with me… and right now, they're probably hunting down the maker of your arm."

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about…" Lucius mumbled, sweat soaking his back.

"Let's skip the bullshit. I've been following the clues for a week, and now I'm tired and in a foul mood… Because, curiously, someone helped erase the traces of the others involved, but left all the ones linking you. As if they wanted to appease me by offering you as a sacrifice."

Lucius knew in that moment he was done for. His fear vanished, replaced by blind rage. A stupid kind of bravery.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" he shouted, casting the killing curse straight at Einar's chest.

He grinned madly as he watched the green light strike him directly.

"HAHAHA! You arrogant fool! I finally got my revenge!"

But his laughter died the instant he saw Einar still standing, completely unharmed, staring at him as if nothing had happened.

"Well… I must say I don't enjoy receiving that spell. Even though it doesn't really affect me, it's annoying… it's uncomfortable to feel your soul being tugged at," Einar said calmly, brushing invisible dust off his chest.

"H-h-how is that possible?" Lucius stammered, trying to raise his wand again.

But before he could, he saw it fall to the floor… along with his arm. He looked down at where his hand had been"blood sprayed from the stump.

"AAAAAH!" he screamed in pain, clutching it with his alchemical arm.

"You really are an idiot… I spared your life, something I never do. But since I was in another world, I tried playing by its rules. Seems that wasn't enough for someone like you. Since they offered you up as a sacrifice to calm me down… I'll accept it," Einar said, crouching until they were face to face, rage simmering in his eyes.

"W-wait! I'm one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight! I have money… property… I can give you whatever you want! Just don't kill me!" Lucius begged, desperate.

"I refused the first time… and still let you live. What makes you think I'll change my mind now? Just die."

Einar drew his sword, and without letting him utter another word, beheaded him in one swift motion.

A dark smile crossed his face as he stood up.

"Did you really think I'd fall for your tricks, old man? I left a special sword at one of those idiots' homes. When it starts killing their close friends and allies to grow stronger and seek revenge… I want to see the look on your face," he said aloud, as if speaking to someone invisible. "Ugh… I'm acting like one of those damn Daedra. But if you want to play strategy games with me… you'll only make things worse."

Einar had left behind the Ebony Blade, a Daedric artifact belonging to Mephala. This sword grew stronger by absorbing the blood of the wielder's closest friends and family. Einar never used it"he had kept it sealed to prevent harm. But now, leaving it in the hands of someone evil was an indirect way to cleanse the world of filth. Especially since all those involved in the assassination attempt bore the same cursed mark as Lucius.

He walked toward Lucius's desk and saw the divorce contract.

"Looks like he won't be needing any of this. His wife will end up with everything… as a widow, that is," he said with a smirk.

"You'd better raise your son right… because if he turns out like his father, I won't hesitate to give him the same end," he added coldly, staring into the air.

He cast a fireball to incinerate Lucius's body… but left his head on the desk, as a warning to the others involved.

Einar walked out of the house calmly. He knew using Floo Powder would reveal him as the killer. Though he didn't fear the Aurors, he preferred to avoid the nuisance of being chased. He'd dealt with that enough times in Skyrim, and while he could wipe out an entire province if he wanted to, he always respected the guards… because they gave their lives for the villagers.

"I wonder what that one-eyed fool taught my students…" he muttered while walking beneath the starry night sky, his cloak fluttering in the wind.

...…

"Harry, do you know where Professor Einar went?" asked Hermione after class, heading toward Harry, who was training with Cedric in the weight area to improve their leg strength.

Harry stopped, wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel hanging around his shoulders, and replied quickly:

"No. He said he had something to 'clean up' a week ago... and left."

"Why do you need him?" he asked curiously.

"It's just that... we have a substitute teacher and we're doing combat training, but it's not the same without Professor Einar," Hermione said quickly.

"Well, I'm sure he'll be back soon. Don't worry," said Harry with a smile.

"Since Professor Einar isn't here, why don't you two take the opportunity to go to class?" Hermione added quickly, making Cedric and Harry exchange glances for a moment.

"Why? Technically, we don't need to take the tests"we're already approved even without attending," said Cedric casually.

"Yeah, but it's better to learn something than just jump around like monkeys between logs," Hermione replied quickly before walking off.

"Is she always like that?" Cedric asked, amused.

"A little. More so when it comes to homework or books," Harry said with a smile, and the two returned to their training.

Meanwhile, Hermione kept walking until she saw a familiar figure heading into the forest not far away.

It was Einar, calmly walking into the Forbidden Forest. It looked like he had just returned, and the first thing he did was head straight there. Hermione also noticed a stain on the edge of his cloak"it looked like blood. That made her follow him, slightly worried he might've done something reckless again, like with the basilisk venom, and gotten himself hurt.

Hermione advanced through the trees with her wand at the ready in case any animal or magical creature attacked her. But she lost sight of Einar and began looking in all directions until she heard the sound of water"or more precisely, a river flowing. She walked toward the sound, thinking maybe Einar would be there.

Pushing through some bushes, she found a small lake. One she didn't remember ever seeing before. Maybe it had been created recently, as the marks along the edge of the terrain suggested. She wasn't wrong"Einar had formed it when he first arrived, and later filled it with water to use it as a place to relax.

Hermione followed the sound of the water until she noticed Einar floating on his back in the lake, wearing only his pants. He had even removed his mask, exposing his bare chest.

Hermione instantly turned bright red. Her face flushed like a tomato, and she thought of running away before Einar mistook her for some kind of pervert.

But just as she was about to turn around, she heard a branch snap and quickly looked to the side"only to find Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons champion, who had also arrived at the lake and, unfortunately, had seen the same scene. Her face was just as red, and upon seeing Hermione, she rushed over and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I just saw your professor come in here… then you, and I came to see if you needed help with something. We should leave before he gets the wrong idea about us," Fleur said quickly, as if trying to come up with an excuse while keeping her composure.

"Yeah, let's go… before he notices us," Hermione replied, just as nervously.

"It's too late. I noticed you both as soon as you started following me from outside the forest," said Einar's voice behind them.

They both turned immediately to find Einar standing with his arms crossed, looking at them with a mocking smile.

"Well… the women around here are a bit more… bold," Einar said smoothly, his smile never fading.

"No! I… saw you go into the forest, and there was blood on your cloak. I thought you were hurt," Hermione said quickly, looking away.

"I was training in the forest and saw him walk in with a serious expression. I thought he might need help," Fleur added hastily, both of them still sneaking nervous glances at Einar's bare torso.

"I don't need help, thanks. And I'm not hurt. So you can go back," Einar said bluntly.

"Right… sorry," Hermione said and bolted away.

"Thanks… for everything," Fleur added before hurrying after her.

Einar simply watched them disappear into the trees, an amused smile lingering on his lips.